All That Remains
by WhereDestiniesMeet17
Summary: Maybe Hayner was crazy for chasing false memories, for leaving his home, for fighting these monsters. Maybe Seifer was crazy, too, for believing nightmares, for trusting strangers, for fighting on the losing side. Maybe they were both crazy for falling in love at a time like this. Seiner. Slash. First in a Trilogy. Hiatus. See profile.
1. Chapter 1

_**All That Remains**_

_**Chapter 1**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. This is a work of fiction, written strictly for entertainment. No profit was made from this. No copy-right infringement intended.

Pairings: Seifer/Hayner, Penette (Pence/Olette), Ruujin (Raijin/Fuu), hints Cleon, SoRiku, and AkuRoku.

Rating: M for violence, language, and romance.

Genre: Romance/Drama

Summary: Maybe Hayner was crazy for chasing false memories, for leaving his home, for fighting these monsters. Maybe Seifer was crazy too for believing nightmares, for trusting strangers, for fighting on the losing side. Maybe they were both crazy for falling in love at a time like this. Seiner. Slash. First in a Trilogy.

Author's Note: This story will deal with quite a bit of angst. Furthermore, this was originally a oneshot, but, due to length, I have broken it up into chapters. And yeah, I have done this before. (_Clueless._) To be a little more specific than the summary was, this is a slight AU. It still follows the cannon events of KH1-2, but after that it skews off into some other realm afterward. Basically, it's a KH3 fanfic, without Recoded and 3D.

One last thing, this is chapter may be limited third person, but most chapters that follow are in omnipotent third person.

Credit: I really wanted to thank YourFlawedDesign for beta-ing this story for me. Thank you!

* * *

Hayner stared down at his aching hands through burning, watering, sand infested eyes, slowly trying to comprehend what he was seeing. He was on his knees in the dirt. He could feel it shifting to accommodate him, or possibly trying to consume him. His chest was heaving with exertion, lungs aching with need, and his blood sang of battle. He focused on his blurred hands, catching sight of his scraped and blood-seeping knuckles.

His hands were shaking for reasons unrelated to his current predicament.

"Had enough, Lamer?" Seifer snarled, his shadow blocking out the blinding, white-hot sun from Hayner's face.

_Stop this._

Hayner squinted up at the living silhouette. Blood rolled down Seifer's cheek, leaving behind a trail of red. Hayner watched the blood until it plummeted to the ground. Seifer seemed unaware of it, his icy blue eyes locked on the kneeling figure.

"Not yet, dick-head," Hayner snapped

Hayner shifted his weight, pushing himself to his feet. His muscles protested and threatened to give. Blood trickled from his busted lips, painting them scarlet. His head spun like a whirlpool that had captured a ship and was dragging it to the bottom of the sea. Hayner was obviously the damned boat.

_You're going to get hurt._

"You can barely stand." Seifer mocked, shoving Hayner back by the chest. Hayner staggered, nearly falling on his ass but managing to catch his fleeing balance. "Go home before I knock you on your ass and your friends have to drag you home."

Hayner cast a glance at his friends, swaying as he did so. The only reason they hadn't rushed forward to drag him away was because Fuu, Rai, and Vivi blocked their path. Despite that, they looked ready to try anyway. All he had to do was scan their determined and decidedly worried expressions to see that; it was obvious in their faces.

_We're worried about you. All __**three **__of us._

They were silently pleading with him to end the fight. Begging him to just walking away. Whatever had sparked the fight couldn't be worth all this. The saddest part was the fact that they were entirely right, and Hayner knew it.

Then again, Hayner wasn't fighting because Seifer had made some asshole comment. Hayner wasn't even mad at Seifer. He just needed something, anything, to drive away the tendril of ice that had taken up residence in his core. Someone had to break it, even if they had to destroy him in the process.

Seifer was the only person who had ever managed to knock any amount of sense into him. Maybe he could knock the insanity out, too. Hayner knew that the logic was flawed, but he didn't really care. He was pretty sure he was going insane. That was the only way to explain how he saw things no one else could see, things that couldn't possibly exist. It had to be the root of the voice, _his_ voice, that was always in his head, repeating one side of conversations that he never had. How could anyone have memories that no one else could testify to, without being insane?

Hayner couldn't even tell what was real anymore.

_You're being stupid, Hay._

No. _**No. It wasn't real.**_ This was real. The pain was real. Hayner stumbling toward Seifer, only to have the taller grab his vest and slam him into the ground, was real. Seifer straddling him and rearing back to punch him was real. _**Seifer**_ was real_._

Hayner was tangible and warm and he couldn't escape the feeling of being safe, even though he was about to get the shit kicked out of him.

_One of these days, I won't be around to pick you up._

The sweaty hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as gooseflesh broke out over his body. Ice flooded his body as he looked past Seifer. He was faint, barely even a ghost. He was just a shimmer, a bending of light. He reached out a hand and then simply faded away.

_I won't be around to pick you up…._

Hayner let his head hit the ground. "It figures." He muttered, waiting for the next punch. Nothing ever worked when Hayner needed it to.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Reviews are welcomed. Constructive-criticism is appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

_**All That Remains**_

_**Chapter 2:**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. This is a work of fiction, written strictly for entertainment. No profit was made from this. No copy-right infringement intended.

Pairings: Seifer/Hayner, Penette (Pence/Olette), Ruujin (Raijin/Fuu), hints Cleon, SoRiku, and AkuRoku.

Rating: M for violence, language, and romance.

Genre: Romance/Drama

Author's Note: Thank you mudkipluvr4ever for reviewing and favoriting, and thank you Toy. Story for favoriting and following. I appreciate it. Somewhat omnipresent third person presents itself here. By the way, I'm planning on updating once a week.

* * *

Hayner could trace his insanity back to a single event. Before that day, he had never heard any voices, had any flashes, saw anything that couldn't exist. Before he saw _it_ he had been perfectly fine; he had been somewhat sane. He wished he had never opened his eyes.

* * *

Hayner slept like the dead, it was a simple fact that no one would deny. So when he woke up, he knew that something was wrong. Night was still streaming through his curtain-less windows like sunlight, the moon had fallen over the horizon in its haste to flee from the approaching dawn. Hayner registered all of those facts, but didn't put much thought into them; he just wanted to go back to sleep, having dismissed whatever feeling had stirred him awake.

Hayner did his best imitation of a roll; which came out more like a flopping, dying fish. He settled back into bed, eyes drifted shut. The blond was well on his way to being asleep again when he found himself stirring restlessly. Whatever reason had waked him the first place had returned, worse than before. It pushed down on him like a heavy weight. It wasn't physical though, it felt more like an intense gaze had settled on him.

Hayner shifted, struggling to open his heavy eyes. Brown orbs bounced around the room, unfocused and searching. Finally they settled on a shadow in the corner, which appeared darker than the rest.

Hayner jolted, then jerked, half rising. The shadow seemed to quiver as it watched the teen move; it seemed to _breathe._ Hayner's eyes were glued to it and his hand shot out, grabbing the lamp. He wrapped his hand around its neck and chucked it clear across the room, cord having been ripped from the wall. It hit, shattering the light bulb and denting into the wall.

Hayner scrambled across his bed, stretching to reach the light switch. He grazed it as he swept his hand up and light flooded the room. Seconds before the light flooded into the room the shadow drew back into itself, fading into the darkness that had given it form. Hayner saw it, having kept his eyes glued to it. Then light burst from ceiling, blinding Hayner for a few seconds and washing away any trace of darkness that was left.

The blond rocked back, falling on the bed; his eyes adjusted to the light, but its warmth did nothing to rid him of the cold feeling that held him. His body was shaking with the adrenaline his pounding heart was circulating through his blood. Confusion and frustration crowded in on him, smothering the dread and fear that was the taste of the night. Beyond those foreign feelings; in the deepest, darkest part of Hayner's heart where he kept his secrets, was a bitter seed of sadness.

_What the fuck was that? _He wondered.

"Hayner?" A voice questioned through his door. It cracked open and his mother stuck her head through. "You okay? We thought we heard something." His mother's eyes were tried and bleary, the crash had woken her.

"I'm fine. I just knocked my lamp off."

"Okay, I'm going back to bed." She said, her head bobbing as she pulled the door shut. Hayner listened to her stumble back down the hall before he heard her door shut. She was out like a light a few seconds later.

Hayner didn't sleep the rest of the night; the light stayed on, and he continued to keep his back to wall and eyes on the dent until dawn.

* * *

Throughout the day that followed he kept the faint feeling of disease. He couldn't shake it, nor could he hide it. Pence and Olette saw through him, but didn't question it; they knew Hayner wouldn't answer any questions, he had never told them anything until he was ready to do so. Somehow though, he was able to get to sleep that night. It didn't stay that way for long.

It wasn't a living shadow that woke him, but a splitting headache. He found his feet and staggered to the living room, every step had him cringing. His legs wobbled dangerously and the blond clung to the wall with one hand while trying to hold his head together with the other.

Hayner stumbled in the darkness for the medicine he knew was sitting on the table. He found the potion and swallowed what was left of the slimy, foul-tasting substance, gagged, and dropped the bottle to the carpet floor. The bottle rolled under the couch and was quickly forgotten.

Hayner curled up on the couch, clutching his skull; the roaring in his ears drowned out the sound of the hammer beating his brains in. He remained that way until the throbbing stopped, leaving behind a residual coating of pain.

Sometime after that he fell into an exhausted sleep. It was then that he started to dream, strobe light-like flashes of events that felt real but weren't. It was a week before the never ending sequences of dreams stopped, but Hayner knew better than to think they had gone away completely. After all, life always got worse before deciding rock bottom wasn't good enough and started digging a ditch. People who thought it got better afterward were naïve. The only thing that changed was that you got used to the bullshit.

Hayner turned out be right; the only reason they stopped was because they had bled over into everyday life.

* * *

The flashes of faux memories wouldn't always just happen; sometimes they were triggered by an object or a phrase. They would send him reeling before they suddenly snapped out of existence. One hallucination that occurred more than all the others, which was triggered by everything in that fucking town, was centered on the blue crystal, the one they were convinced came from the alternate Twilight Town.

The crystal was always being held up to the sun, blue light dancing across an indistinguishable face. He seemed so familiar but his name was always just out of reach. Whoever he was, if he even existed, was a mystery that Hayner couldn't crack.

* * *

Pence and Olette weren't oblivious to the subtle shift in Hayner, they saw more than he thought they would. It wasn't just the bags under his eyes, or the fidgeting that gave him away; it wasn't in the way he would drift off at the oddest moments, or the way he started humming to himself constantly like he was trying to tune out an annoying person.

It was something deeper than all that. It was something that couldn't be seen or touched, a feeling or knowledge of something. It was like Hayner had opened an old wound that he had forgotten existed and suddenly he couldn't pull himself away from the memories.

Pence and Olette didn't have a clue how close they were to guessing the truth.

The night Hayner opened his eyes; he opened a Pandora's Box. What came spilling out weren't plagues and monsters, but false memories and living shadows, a voice and a nameless face. What came spilling out was insanity.

There was no way to shut the box; but then again, there wasn't anything worth saving inside.

* * *

After a month Hayner couldn't tell what was real anymore; he just wanted it to go away. He was willing to try anything to do so, even pick a fight with Seifer. The proof of that was plain to see as the older blond reared back to land the blow that would end the fight.

* * *

Author's Note: Reviews are welcomed. Constructive criticism is appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

_**All That Remains**_

_**Chapter 3**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. This is a work of fiction, written strictly for entertainment. No profit was made from this. No copy-right infringement intended.

Pairings: Seifer/Hayner, Penette (Pence/Olette), Ruujin (Raijin/Fuu), hints Cleon, SoRiku, and AkuRoku.

Rating: M for violence, language, and romance.

Genre: Romance/Drama

Author's Note: This chapter bounces around to a lot of different people, so be prepared. And I made this chapter longer.

Edited 10/6/12: I must thank Besieged Infection-I had to leave out the period, as FF would not allow it to exist with it intact-for pointing out the persistent errors that existed in this chapter. I went back through and fixed what I didn't catch the first time.

* * *

Seifer knew the moment the fight went out of the chickenwuss. It was the moment Hayner went limp, submitting to his fate; he turned his head away and squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the punch. He panted through parted lips, face red from heat and exertion; bright blotches where bruises were forming were already dotting his face. Seifer caught a glimpse of sweat rolling down the side of his temple, plastering his blond hair to his forehead.

Seifer's first slammed into the ground, throwing dirt back at the two of them. Hayner's eyelids lifted up as he was pelted with particles of sand; they were brimming with confusion, and beneath that, Seifer swore he saw fear. The angry stance Hayner always took when he was around was gone, replaced with an overwhelming tired sadness that seemed to exist in the boy's very bones.

Seifer pushed away from him abruptly. Hayner shoved himself up on his elbows, shocked eyes locked on Seifer. The older turned his back; a strange feeling sunk in his gut, like he was about to get sick. He fucking hated not knowing the whats-or-whys going on in Twilight Town. The fact that it concerned Hayner, the brat that was Seifer's rival and no one else, was enough to piss him off.

"Go home, Lamer. And the next time you pull this shit, I won't hold back." With that he strolled off, motioning for Fuu, Raijin, and Vivi to follow him, none of them looking back despite the heavy gazes that followed them.

* * *

In a world far away, a brown headed male prepared to board a Gummi Ship. The ship was a black that would blend easily with the darkness of space. It had sharp, wicked wings, pointed like a proud bird's; the shields faced front like jousters, ready to fight for their lady fair. It was aptly named; The Dark Eagle was ready to fight, stocked and pampered with equipment for a month's journey.

"Squall, you sure about this?' A female ninja questioned, watching as the door came down to welcome the pilot on board.

"Yuffie." He warned, shouldering his bag. He turned to eye the four that were present for his departure.

"Leon," Yuffie huffed. "But seriously, are you sure?"

"Yuffie, we all know that Sora is stretched too far. There are too many worlds to protect, too many seals to place; and even those aren't safe anymore. They're breaking through the locks, and we all know it. It's only a matter of time before stars start flaring only to fade away completely again. We have to give Sora and the others as much time as possible to find a solution."

"We understand, Leon." Aerith murmured, looking at Yuffie. "We all have to do our parts to protect the worlds, even if we don't like the parts we must play."

Yuffie sighed. "Why can't I go with you? You need back up."

"We've talked about this; Radiant Garden needs you to stay here and protect it. I can handle myself out there."

"Plus, you draw too much attention," Cid chuckled.

Yuffie didn't twitch. "Just be careful out there, Squall."

"Return to us soon." Aerith told him, offering him a small bundle of food that she had purchased for him.

He took it with a nod.

"I'll work on the other Gummi Ship while you're out." Cid promised. "The more people doing this checking-up-on-the-worlds thing, the better."

"Take care of the town and each other. I'll be back soon." Leon told them, starting to turn and make his way up the ramp. The only thing that stopped him was a single voice.

"Watch your back out there."

Leon looked back. "I will. You do the same."

"I will." Cloud nodded grimly.

Leon boarded the Gummi Ship without further farewell.

"Next stop, Twilight Town," he muttered to himself as the door rose to shut.

His friends watched from a safe distance as the ship launched itself off the ground and grew small on the horizon until it was gone, their eyes trailing after it.

* * *

Hayner let himself into the apartment he and his parents shared, limping the entire time. He separated his teeth with effort, happy to have made it up the three flights of stairs. His ears were still ringing with Olette's half hysterical screams as Pence helped her drag Hayner off his battered ass and to his feet. He was just glad that Seifer had called a halt to the fight when he had; otherwise they would have had to drag his unconscious body all the way home. Instead they were able to part at Tram Common, heading their separate ways, all on their own feet.

The front door clicked shut behind him as he headed toward the kitchen, bumping a chair as he passed and sending it clattering the floor. Hayner ignored it in light of the freezer, which his mother had stocked with ice packs. She had learned years before that she couldn't stop him from fighting, so she might as well try to help him in the aftermath; she had done so since he was five, when he had managed to get the snot beat out of him by an older child. He remembered clearly that his father had just shrugged, and then proceeded to teach him how to make a proper fist. If not for that lesson, he would have sprained his thumb several hundred times afterward.

His parents had always been lovingly indifferent. They cared, but they let him live his own life. He was independent, able to handle himself and they knew it. Sometimes, he felt more alone because of it.

Grabbing the frosted pack, he wandered back into the living room; flopping down on the brown, cotton couch, stabbing the remote with his finger in order to turn on the TV. He leaned back, keeping the ice pressed to his throbbing face and paying little attention to the events happening on the screen. He didn't really care, as nothing had changed. He was officially bat-shit insane.

* * *

The stream of faces was disconcerting at first; some were blurry, some far too bright, others hidden by shadow. They slipped away like mist, suddenly leaving her feeling dizzy. Any control she had spun away from her as she was thrown into darkness.

A restrained scream rose in her throat as she realized that it was alive. She thrashed, fighting the thing as it wrapped her in its cold arms. It swelled suddenly, engulfing her, flooding her mouth and nose. She choked, unable to scream for aid. Terrified, she threw her hand out. A hand wrapped around her wrist and dragged her from the darkness. She looked at her savior, making out brown hair, blue eyes, and a scar. He placed a weapon in her hand.

"Fight or die." He ordered, drawing his own weapon.

Suddenly, she became aware of the other people around her, all wielding similar weapons. They were hazy blobs, shining slightly. They formed a tight circle, prepared to fight the darkness closing in on them. From somewhere deep within rose the knowledge that if they stayed together, they could win.

Before she could say anything, the ground beneath their feet begun to tremble. Spider web like cracks appeared, growing bigger by the second. Hands were flung out as they attempted to grasp on to each other, fingers grazed but were unable to catch and hold. Then the earth was ripped apart, gray spewing forth; a mixture of darkness and light, as if it had yet to decide which path it would choose.

Then there was nothing.

* * *

Fuu sat up in bed, an undeniable scream stuck in her throat; a cold sweat clung to her skin, and she shuddered. Her eyes were adjusted to the dark, and she could make out the shape of Raijin as he stirred beside her. They were alone in the apartment they shared, but she didn't feel safer for it.

"Fuu? You okay?" He asked, laying a hand on top of hers.

"I dreamed." She whispered.

Raijin stiffened. "Do I need to call Seifer and Vivi?"

"Yes." She said, it holding all the fear that was welling up in her.

Raijin nodded, reaching for the phone, dread had set up camp in his stomach and heart. When Fuu dreamed, hell usually followed.

* * *

On the other side of Twilight Town Hayner started awake. The blanket that his mother had covered him with upon finding him slipping on the couch slipped to the floor. He hadn't been woken by a dream like he had been many of the nights before, nor had it been the silly show playing on the television. It was by a presence he had only felt once before and had a direct link to the hallucinations.

Hayner opened his eyes, staring at the thing standing off to the right of the television covered in shadow. Hayner's first reaction was to launch to his feet and tackle the figure; so he slammed into it, and they toppled to the ground. It banged its fist into Hayner's face, sending him reeling back. Hayner's hand went to his injury at the same time his other struck the thing who had been trying to get to its feet. It slammed back into the carpet floor, hood falling back as it did so.

Hayner froze, staring down at the person that had been haunting him for a month. The name flooded into his mind as the pieces clicked into place.

"Roxas."

* * *

Hayner leapt back, knocking his legs against the coffee table. If the person from his dreams was real, then so were the dreams. If so, were they memories that had been locked away and forgotten? Had Roxas been forgotten, erased by something that couldn't be explained? Hayner felt like someone had just held his head underwater and shouted all the answers of life to him, but they had become distorted and only left him confused and gasping for breath.

"I guess it's true then. The heart remembers even if the mind forgets." Roxas commented, sitting up.

Hayner sat down on the edge of the table. "What the fuck is going on?" He demanded, dragging his hand over his face.

"It's hard to explain." Roxas said, getting to his feet.

"Well, you better try." Hayner snapped. "Nothing makes sense anymore. There are all these memories in my head that don't belong. I remember you, but I can't remember ever forgetting you. What's the hell is going on? Where have you been, Roxas?"

Roxas' face contorted as he tried to find words; expression settling into a grimace. "The worlds are in danger, and I'm helping put them right. When I came back to check on you three, it must have woken something up. I appreciated the lamp you threw at me by the way, felt like the good old days."

"Roxas, when did I forget?" Hayner demanded, scrubbing at his face again, like he was trying to wake up. He felt like his life had turned into a clichéd horror movie.

"You never really forgot. They were always there; you just never registered them on a conscious level. It's like the bottle under your couch, I suppose. The memories were there, even if you couldn't see them."

"Please, just tell me."

The strange grimace reappeared. Roxas shifted, moving like fluid against the blue emanating from the television. "The things you remember didn't happen here. They happened in the alternate Twilight Town, a computer program created by a man name DiZ. It was an exact replica of this town, right down to the hearts of its occupants. I believe that when he converted your heart into data and uploaded it into the computer, it still stayed in contact with the real one; memories were transferred both ways, instead of only one. The memories earned over there always remained on an unconscious level, though. At least, until they woke up."

"Say you're right. Why am I the only one? Why don't Pence and Olette remember?"

"I don't know, Hayner." Roxas said, exasperated.

"Maybe I'm insane. Maybe you don't even exist." Hayner laughed, feeling dizzy. His world had become fucking surreal.

Roxas shrugged. His eyes were stricken invisible by shadows. "I can't promise you that I exist, but this is real; at least in this twisted universe we live in." He lifted his hand and darkness started to swell from the floor, lapping up the nearby wall until it could stand on its own. It formed a small doorway, one that Hayner had seen multiple times before.

"Where are you going?" Hayner demanded, jumping to his feet. The questions he really wanted to ask chased around inside his skull, unable to get passed his lips as they struggled to defeat each other.

"I have to go. If I'm on my own for too long, I start to feel weak. I'm lucky I can even be on my own at all."

"When are you coming back?" Hayner wanted to shout that he couldn't leave. What if he forgot again? What if tomorrow everything went back to how it was? What if remembering had broken him?

"I'm not. Someone else is taking over checking up on this world. You're going to have to find them if you want answers your questions." Roxas told him, taking a step toward the dark portal.

"Wait! Roxas, don't. Don't leave this time."

Roxas looked at him for a long moment, then his hand disappeared into his pocket. He tossed the object he pulled out to Hayner, who caught it after a brief struggle as it bounced off his hands, aiming for the floor.

"Proof," he said simply. "I didn't get to say it last time, so let me say it now. Goodbye, Hayner. Take care of them." He stepped through the portal without waiting for a second response. The doorway collapsed behind him before Hayner could follow.

"Roxas…" He muttered. It was only after the TV invaded the calm that had settled over the living room that Hayner looked at the object in his hand. The blue crystal reflected the light from the television softly.


	4. Chapter 4

_**All That Remains**_

_**Chapter 4**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. This is a work of fiction, written strictly for entertainment. No profit was made from this. No copy-right infringement intended.

Pairings: Seifer/Hayner, Penette (Pence/Olette), Ruujin (Raijin/Fuu), hints Cleon, SoRiku, and AkuRoku.

Rating: M for violence, language, and romance.

Genre: Romance/Drama

Author's Note: Chapter 1 and 3 have been edited. Chapter 3 will reveal why. Thank you everyone for supporting this story, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.

Thanks: I just wanted to thank YourFlawedDesign again for betaing for me.

* * *

The small kitchenette was crowded with people as Fuu, Raijin, Vivi, and Seifer sat at the table drinking coffee. The tale had been told, and the four of them had lapsed into silence. The sun peeked through the window, a sly observer to the interactions of the group. It would rise no higher than it had, as was its custom; the warmth of its light did not reach them.

"What will we do?" Vivi questioned.

"If this man presents himself, we will go with him. Simple as that." Seifer told them, facing the refrigerator door. He straightened the pictures out of respect for his friends. Fuu's mother stared back at him from one; Raijin's grandfather eyed him from another.

"Do you think this has anything to do with that one Sora kid?" Raijin asked, staring down at the dark liquid in his cup. It told him little of what he really wanted to know.

"Yes." Fuu answered him, brushing her hair back. "Monsters were similar."

"What if this other man won't let us go with him?" Vivi demanded, shifting in his seat. He had never liked the creatures Sora fought, but he was not afraid. If it came to it, he would fight them too.

"He will." Fuu stated.

"We'll make him if he won't let us." Seifer put in.

"We won't have to. He wouldn't have given Fuu a weapon if he was unwilling to teach us."

Seifer nodded. "When will he arrive?"

"Soon." Fuu said, voice small in the cool air.

* * *

Within that atmosphere was an acknowledged truth; even though they already ached from homesickness, they would go and do so as a group.

They didn't have much time left in their town, as the man they were speaking of had arrived the same night of Fuu's dream.

Hayner was wandering up Station Heights, hands sunk deep in his pockets. The sun had taken up its mantle for the first time since Roxas' visit and the day as growing old. The flashes had decreased rapidly and had become nearly non-existence within that time frame; it was as if someone had hit the off button, setting his mind to idle. The visions no longer pushed forward to overwhelm him; they had turned into true memories, as was their destiny.

Hayner rolled the orb around in his pocket. It was proof of many things, some of which still shocked him. He hadn't let it out of his sight, it kept the idea that had occurred to him the night before alive.

If he wanted to find Roxas and get his answers, he'd have to find the last person he recalled having had the crystal. Hayner would have to locate Sora. He'd have to get out of Twilight Town first though, which wouldn't be easy. If he could track down the person that had taken up the care of his town, he would have a chance. He couldn't just sit by and wait, hoping that Roxas would return; he had to get out there and look for him, then drag his ass home and use him to beat the memories back to life in Pence and Olette.

Hayner sighed, glancing around. His eyes suddenly caught sight of a man. Hayner's footsteps slowed to a stop, least he would run into a wall. The man looked so out of place that he had to be the one Roxas mentioned.

* * *

"Hey, you." Leon paused and glaned back, having not expected to speak to anyone while here. He had arrived at Twilight Town only a few hours prior, and was still working on his sweep. He figured the Heartless were most likely to appear within the town limits; they seemed to like places with big populations the best after all.

"What do you want?" Leon asked as he looked the kid up and down.

The teen's brown eyes were cradled by purple shadows; his lips were pressed into a strained, unsmiling line. His parlor was white, despite his tan skin and his hands stayed in his pockets. The teen reeked of stubbornness, making Leon tense. The last time he had met someone remotely similar, he had been saddled with Sora.

"I want to go with you when you leave," he stated, looking Leon in the eye.

Leon was taken aback. "What?"

"I would be asking the same thing, but for once I have to agree with the chickenwuss."

The teen reeled, glancing behind him, watching four people approach. "What the hell are you doing here, Seifer?" He demanded, jumping as he did so.

"Same as you," Seifer shrugged. "We're going with him."

Leon peered at the older teen, who was already grating on his nerves. He had claimed the space to the boy's right, while his three followers fanned out behind him and turned to Leon abruptly.

"What makes any of you think that I'm going to take you anywhere?" Leon demanded.

"You have to," the only female said.

"Why is that?"

"We need you to." The browned headed one told him.

"Why?"

"This world is in danger." The short one told him, voice holding a strange, quivering tone.

Leon stepped back, hand itching. He had left his weapon on the ship, as he didn't want to draw attention to himself. He regretted his decision as much as he wished he had run away when he heard someone call out to him. Wherever this conversation was heading, Leon knew he wasn't going to like the results.

"Let us go with you, let us protect our world and help you protect the others." The dark haired one spoke again.

"I can't possibly do that. I don't know you, and I can't meddle with the world. I'm not even supposed to be here."

"Look, if you don't meddle now, there won't be a world left to meddle with." Seifer snapped.

Leon looked each of them in the eye, something in their words finally reaching him. "Fine. I have things to do. I'm leaving at ten tonight, so meet me at train station. Be there or be left behind."

"Name?" The girl called as he started to walk away.

"Leon."

"Fuu, Raijin, Vivi, Seifer, and Hayner." Seifer stated, listing them all.

Leon nodded, not looking back as he walked off. His shock matched theirs. Why had he agreed to let them come? What the fuck had he been thinking?

* * *

Hayner became aware of time running away, the feeling creeping up on him suddenly. He had three hours to say goodbye. There wasn't enough time in the universe for something like that, much less time to put it off. Hayner stepped forward, planning on running all the way to his house. Seifer's hand ceased his wrist before he could pass him. Hayner snapped up at him, antsy anger bubbling up in him. Seifer's blue eyes were harsh and cold.

"I want to know everything." Seifer hissed. "How the hell did you know about that guy?"

"I could ask you the same," Hayner snapped.

Seifer jerked him closer. "Hayner, you're pushing your luck. I've been taking it easy on you because you haven't been acting yourself, but now I'll beat it out of you if I have to."

They glared each other down, judging the intensity of their anger. A fight was boiling between them and would have erupted if Fuu hadn't stepped in.

"Later." She snapped.

Seifer tensed and his grip became painful. Then his hand fell away.

"Be there on time, Lamer." Seifer growled, stalking away.

Hayner relaxed for a moment before running toward Tram Common.

* * *

Goodbye always had a bad reputation of separating people. In body that was true, but they also drew people together. They forged bonds between hearts that could never be broken; not by time, or space, or any force. Goodbyes, if the person saying it truly believed it, didn't have to last forever. If they meant it, it was a promise to see the person again, no matter the odds.

Each of them had their fair share of goodbyes to say.

* * *

Fuu hadn't talked to her mother in three years. A single phone call couldn't fix all that was broken between them, but it left them both with a feeling of peace. A clam, pleasant silence hummed over the wires connecting them. The broken bone of their relationship had been set. Time was all they had left.

* * *

The old man was sleeping when Raijin walked in. He did that more days than not, sleeping away the little life he had left. It was okay though; his dreams were filed with comfortably familiar faces, nameless and nearly forgotten. He was dying, breath barely making the dust dance in the stream of light cast by the rarely setting sun.

Raijin laid his hand over the man's, his skin was soft and thin; it was like tissue paper, and Rai felt the same fear he always did when he held it. He gently squeezed it.

"Bye, Gramps." The hard, dry baseball stayed in his throat.

* * *

Vivi kept his simple and clean. He hugged his brother and sister, threw his bag over his shoulder, and walked out the door. He didn't look back, knowing that he wouldn't be able to go on if he did.

* * *

The twin stones mocked him. They stood as a testimony to two lives' cut short, two lives he failed to save. He tapped each stone in turn as he knelt in front of them. He spoke to them, not the people they represented. They were gone.

"I'm not going to fail this time. I'm going to protect them, this town, and that fucking moron." Seifer sneered, feeling the urge to punch the stone. "Good riddance."

He didn't mean it.

* * *

His parents weren't home. Their note was pinned to the fridge. They had decided to go out to eat then take in a late movie. They had left munny for him to order pizza. He took it, folding it into a small square and pocketing it. He put his note in its place.

_I'll come back, I promise._

_Love,_

_Hayner_

It was held on by ABC magnets and the red ink stood out like blood against the paper. Hayner fumbled with the magnets but could never put them in the right order to spell the words he really wanted to say. His true message was lost between the colors.

He shouldered the worn, overstuffed backpack. The front door clicked shut behind him, locked from the inside. He slid the apartment key into his back pocket, a way to assure himself that he would return. His backpack banged against his back as he hopped down the stairs.

He still had two more to speak to.

* * *

Time was ticking down, the hands racing toward ten, and he still couldn't find them anywhere. They weren't at either of their houses or the ice cream shop; they weren't at the usual spot, the sandlot, or the train station, they weren't even at the old mansion.

Hayner paused, breathing heavy. He didn't hear the footsteps until a hand fell on his shoulder, forcing him to jump and twist around. Pence and Olette stood in front of him, both breathing in short, sharp gasps. Pence bent double, waving away Olette's hand.

"We've…Been…Looking…For you," he gasped, "everywhere."

"Seifer told us to come find you. What's going on? He never does that. Hayner, why do you have a bag?" Olette fired off rapidly.

"I'm going away for a while."

"What? Why?" She demanded.

"When? Where are you going?" Pence covered the rest.

"Tonight. To a different world." Hayner explained.

"Why?" Olette demanded again.

Hayner opened his mouth, tried to find words. He never could when he needed them the most. Riffling in his pocket he removed the blue crystal. It caught both of their attentions and held it.

"That's…" They both said in union, eyes lighting up in recognition.

"This is the reason I have to leave. I have to find the one who left it for me. When I do, we'll come back. Then we'll all be together again, at least once."

"Who are you talking about? Is it Sora?"

"No, I'm talking about…" Hayner shook his head. "I don't have time to explain. If only you two could come with me then I could tell you everything." Hayner paused, feeling the words rise up from his chest. But his heart already knew the response they would get. "Come with me," he pleaded, looking between them.

Olette's lips trembled, and she tried to blink away tears. "Hayner, I can't. T-this is my home. My family is here. I-I can't go."

Hayner had known it was coming, but it still wounded him. "Pence?" There was an edge of desperation in his voice.

"My dad, Olette…I can't leave them."

Hayner cast his eyes to the ground. He felt it pressing in on him, building up in his chest and struggling to be free. He had to leave, even if it was killing him.

"I guess this is goodbye then." Hayner strangled out.

"No. Not if you promise to come back." Olette whispered, tears finally falling over the edge and raining down her face.

Hayner smiled weakly. He pushed the orb into Pence's hands, looking between the two of them.

"That is the reason I'm leaving, but you two are the reason I'm coming back. I'll promise you that."

Arms wrapped around him, two thin, two thick. He returned the embrace in kind, holding his friends close.

"Be safe," Olette commanded.

"We'll be waiting," Pence assured him.

Hayner nodded, breaking away from them; but only physically, some things could never be separated. "I know."

Olette was unashamed of her tears and let them go unchecked; Pence scrubbed furiously at his eyes, making them red and gleaming. Hayner didn't deny his, nor did he let them overflow. He backed away from his two friends before turning to leave, sprinting up Station Heights with the clock chiming ten. In every step was a memory that called to him to stay but he did not pause, as they were the very thing that drove him forward.


	5. Chapter 5

_**All That Remains**_

_**Chapter 5**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. This is a work of fiction, written strictly for entertainment. No profit was made from this. No copy-right infringement intended.

Pairings: Seifer/Hayner, Penette (Pence/Olette), Ruujin (Raijin/Fuu), hints Cleon, SoRiku, and AkuRoku.

Rating: M for violence, language, and romance.

Genre: Romance/Drama

Author's Note: I wish to thank the following because they are all awesome: CrimsonSky05, Toy Story, mudkipluvr4ever, Besieged Infection, Gridania, SunlilyQ, and Top Magician. I've thanked some of you before, but I wanted to thank everyone at once.

* * *

He reached the Train Station on the ninth chime. As he ran under the wood that hung over the entrance, he saw that others were waiting. They stood in a small cluster near the wall that kept people from falling down the steep hill, none of them speaking a word to each other. They were all silhouettes and soft shapes, as was most of the town. He slowed as he got closer, feet starting to feel weighed down.

One of them turned their head to look at him, just the barest of glances. Then they turned back to look at Leon.

"We're ready to go." Seifer said.

Leon nodded. "Take a good look at your town. I can't tell you when you will see it again."

They looked, even though some of them had already memorized it; the sight was the same one they saw all the time, but for once they really looked. Soft arches and sharp points rose above the night; streets snaked between buildings, separating them by the tiniest of spaces; lights stared back harshly, shutting off one by one. Most of the town slept, hunkered down for the night in order to hide from the darkness outside, and the rest of the town was quickly joining them. Each one of the group placed the image in a special place, where nothing could taint it, and nothing could take it.

"Why do you fight?" Leon asked, tone harsh and cold.

"So that this place will survive." Fuu told him, her sentence sounding choppy and forced.

"Remember that." Leon ordered. "The darkness will consume you unless you have something worth fighting for."

They nodded. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a strange device. He twisted part of it in his hand, holding the other part straight. Hayner blinked, seeing a bright light through his eyelids, and was plunged into a blind darkness. Then his eyes opened, and he went reeling backward, dizzy and disoriented.

* * *

"God dammit, Lamer!" Seifer shouted, having been shoved back into the wall when Hayner stumbled back into him. "Get the fuck off of me."

He pushed Hayner away from him, looking at the new surroundings. Dull gray floor faded into even duller metallic walls. They stood in a round room that had a hallway running straight through it, extending toward opposite ends of the ship. Doors lined the long hallway, but they were all sealed shut against them.

Seifer's gaze was drawn back to the people occupying the room; Vivi was leaning against one of the walls, dry heaving; Raijin was picking himself up off the floor; Fuu was supporting herself on her knees, gasping softly, and face pale. Seifer felt his stomach churn threateningly and leaned back against the wall that he had been so angry about being knocked against. He watched as Hayner swayed on his feet, looking green, and couldn't bring himself to jeer at him.

"Happens a lot the first time," Leon commented as he looked them all up and down. "It will pass. Bathroom is the first door to the left. Bunk room is opposite. You will stay there. The room at the very end of the hall," he pointed up the hallway, "is the cockpit. Door to the right is the storage room, and door to the left is captain's quarters."

"Good to know," Hayner muttered.

"I need to set the autopilot for Radiant Garden." Leon said, ignoring them. "It'll take awhile to get there. Sleeping is the best way to pass the time." He walked away before they could ask any more questions.

Hayner looked at the people he had found himself with. He sighed, thinking about being trapped with Seifer in the small enclosed space. The best thing to do would be to take Leon's advice and sleep. Otherwise, he doubted they would both make it off the ship alive.

* * *

A door opened into an empty apartment. The two people that entered were smiling and laughing over the movie they had watched earlier in the day; it had been the worst thing they had watched in years, but that hadn't spoiled the evening. They were still in love, even though they had a near grown son and were getting older every day. Some feelings simply didn't fade.

"Shush, Hayner might be asleep." The woman warned.

"He's a deep sleeper." He said, dipping to place a kiss on her lips.

"Stop that." She said, hitting him lightly. "You're making me distracted."

"At least I can still do that." He laughed lightly.

She pushed him away, walking into the kitchen. The light was off as she pulled the door open and placed the doggy-bag into the fridge. The small light bulb lit up a single stretched of the floor, reaching out for her husband's feet. She shut the door and turned away from the note that hung there, she didn't even know that is existed.

As she walked back out of the kitchen she took her husband's hand. "Let's go to sleep. We have work tomorrow," she reminded him.

"Party pooper." He teased, leading her down the hall.

They both passed the empty room on the way. Neither of them stopped to check, still sure that their son was sleeping in his bed. They closed their own bedroom door, postponing the nightmare for a little while.

* * *

The little phone rang, startling Olette from her restless sleep. She didn't remember having closed her eyes, but only the tears that had smoothed the way. She groped for the phone, bringing it to her ear.

"Hello?" She asked, voice weak and clogged with the proof of her sadness.

"Hey," Pence said on the other line.

"Hey."

Neither of them spoke again, comforted by the fact that they were no longer alone with their pain. They couldn't understand why it all felt so familiar. Maybe that was the worst part, and the reason why they stayed on the line together the rest of the night. When morning finally arrived they found each other and stayed together, not daring to leave in case the other didn't come back.

* * *

Hayner had managed to get a few hours of sleep before a thumping sound invaded his dreams. He stirred, looking around the dimly lit room. He was the only one sleeping in the bunk-bed closet to the door. He could just barely make out the lumps of four other bodies; their breathing was even and deep, obviously still very asleep. Hayner frowned, sitting up and throwing the covers off.

He sat up, kicking his shoes away so that he wouldn't trip over them. He felt his way to the door, pressing his hand against the panel beside it. He flinched when it slid open, light flooding into the room; his eyes stung as he stepped out into the bright hall. The door made a slink sound as it shut behind him.

He made his way out of the room, padding down the hallway to the cockpit. The floor was brutally cold under his bare feet, and the room itself was cooler than he expected. He crossed his arms over his t-shirt clad chest, having left his vest beside his bed, he kept them crossed until he had to press the panel to open the door.

The cockpit was a round room with a clear dome over it; it had three seats attached to the floor, one of them situated in front of the control systems. The room was dark except for the lights and gauges that glowed softly, singling that all was well. They casted soft glares against the glass like substance; it was as he looked at the glares that he noticed lights beyond it.

Hayner walked forward, taking a sear furthest from the controls. From there he could see the little spark of lights beyond the glass, and he was surprised to realize that the lights were caused by small rocks hitting a magic shield that surrounded the ship. Every time they hit, it caused the shield to distort and flash different colors. Some rocks hit the shield and exploded on impact; others slid off, streaking past the ship like miniature shooting stars. They stood out against the all consuming darkness of space, occasionally broken by a dot that could have been a planet or a sun.

It took him another moment to connect the dots. The shield only covered cockpit, protecting the weakest part of the ship, the rest of the ship was guarded only by the material it was built out of. Rocks were pinging against them harmlessly but nosily; the soft sounds that had woke him up were being caused by the damn rocks.

He sighed, leaning back into the chair, thinking about going back to bed when the chair was seized and spun around. He grasped the chair's arms on instinct, heart thudding, and the young blond found himself looking up at the person responsible and wasn't pleased with who it turned out to be.

"I want my answers," Seifer ordered. "Now."

* * *

"Do you make a habit of following me?" Hayner snapped.

"Only when you have something I want. How about we start with how you knew."

"He didn't belong." Hayner tried to duck under Seifer's arms but couldn't.

"But how did you know that he would be there?" He demanded. They were both unaware of the slowly changing color of the lights on the dash.

"How did you know I couldn't find Pence and Olette? _Why_ did you tell them?" Hayner retorted.

"You're predictable," he shrugged.

"You're an asshole."

"Never denied it. You gonna tell me who told you?"

"You wouldn't remember him even if I did." Hayner muttered, not at all sure of himself anymore. The one time had asked for Seifer's help, the ass had given it and it had been for Roxas.

"Why wouldn't I?" Seifer demanded.

"No one else does. I don't see why you would be the exception."

"Why are you?" Seifer's face was utterly serious as he asked the question. If it had a double meaning, Hayner didn't catch it.

"How the fuck would I know?"

"Talking to you is like talking to a really fucking stupid wall; it's utterly pointless."

"If I'm so pointless, why don't you fuck off?"

"Lamer, I'm about to-"

Whatever he said was lost in the shrill cry of an alarm; the lights flared an angry red, shattering the calm atmosphere. The ship rocked sharply, flinging Hayner from his chair. He collided with Seifer and they tumbled to the floor. They rolled apart, not bothering with expletives. The door slid open as they scrambled to their feet; Leon rushed in, barefooted and bare-chested, his pants were clinging hazardously to his hips and his hair was all over the place.

"What did you touch?" He snapped.

"Nothing! It just-"

"_Threat of collision has increased to ninety-two percent. Evasive actions are required in order to maintain structural integrity of this vessel. Threat of collision has increased to ninety-five percent. Evasive action-"_

Leon rushed across the tilting room, sliding into the chair. He slammed his hand down on the control systems, lights flashed green and a yoke rose from the center of the console; Leon wrapped his hands around it. Behind him, the door leading into the hallway slid open.

"Strap yourselves in or get into the hallway." He ordered.

Fuu, Raijin, and Vivi, all in a state of disarray, followed his order without question. They shut the door before steeling themselves against the walls. Hayner and Seifer took the seat flanking Leon's, strapping themselves in moments before the ship lurched to the left.

The asteroid that had been lost in the darkness of space came into sight abruptly. It was roughly the size of a train and was flipping end over end every few seconds. They couldn't possibly have avoided it, no matter how violently Leon jerked at the yoke they couldn't get out of its way fast enough.

It hit them in a flare of bright lights and crunching metal.

* * *

Aerith was wondering through the market when Yuffie appeared at her side. Aerith, who had grown accustomed to Yuffie sneaking up on her, simply smiled.

"Yes, Yuffie," she said. "What is it?"

"Cid sent me to ensure the buying of ice cream."

"Ah," Aerith nodded. "He really has grown fond of it, hasn't he?"

"Addicted is more like it," Yuffie muttered.

"Has he heard from Leon?" Aerith asked as they walked up the steps, moving towards the ice cream shop.

"No, but he said that isn't a surprise. He may not contact us for a few days."

"I do hope he's okay." Aerith murmured. She tilted her face skyward, as if hoping to see them.

"Pfft," Yuffie muttered. "It would take more than some dumb old heartless to-"

Aerith seized her arm. "Look!"

Yuffie looked up, as directed. There, streaking across the sky was a Gummi Ship. Life had perfect timing and always proved it at the worst times.

"It's going to land in the gorge," Aerith gasped.

The two of them ran.


	6. Chapter 6

_**All That Remains**_

_**Chapter 6**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. This is a work of fiction, written strictly for entertainment. No profit was made from this. No copy-right infringement intended.

Pairing: Seifer/Hayner, Penette (Pence/Olette), Ruujin (Raijin/Fuu), hints Cleon, SoRiku, and AkuRoku.

Rating: M for violence, language, and romance.

Genre: Romance/Drama

Author's Note: So sorry for the late update.

Credit: I just wanted to thank YourFlawedDesign for BETA-ing for me, again.

* * *

A small green ship slowed as it landed on the desert planet. It settled into its spot with a contented sigh, letting the door slide open; the steps unfolding before the ship fell into a silent rest. The odd assortment of people that walked down the steps was as mismatched as a child's playthings carelessly tossed into a toy chest. Somehow, they moved together effortlessly, held together by metaphorical glue and other sticky substances that weren't tangible.

"Sora, did you take a wrong turn? This place doesn't seem to have any life on it. Why would the Heartless want it?" Kairi, who was the only constant female, as Naminé could only manifest as an actual entity for a few hours a day, asked.

"I'm certain. The thing the King gave me pointed this out as a hot spot." Sora responded, looking at the round object in his hand.

It was a simple device, created by a man the King would not name. How it worked was a mystery they were not allowed to delve into; however, it scanned for large quantities of gathering darkness on nearby planets and alerted them when it grew to threatening levels.

Sora looked back at the dry and cracked landscape that sprawled out in front of him. The sun beat down on them hot and melting, causing shimmering mirages to appear. The heat waves danced like gypsies, heads thrown back and hands skating over each other as they sashayed across their broken dance floor. Sora blinked, shifted to the right, and they were gone.

"Sora, let me see it," Riku demanded, leaning around the shorter teen to grab at the device.

"Sora, Riku," Kairi warned, watching as they began to tussle for it.

"You guys might want to be careful with that. The King said it's one of a kind," Goofy scratched his head and took a step back to avoid being hit as they swung in a wide arc, object held above both of their heads.

"Oh, give me that," Donald squawked, jumping up to snatch the radar out of their hands.

His wing hit it, sending it spiraling through the air. They stared with wide eyes and open mouths as it arched across a whitened out sky. Then it hit the ground and exploded, little pieces going everywhere.

"Donald!"

"Oh, no, the King's-"

"You stupid-"

"Hey, it wasn't just my-"

"_Over the mountains the crystals live, in a place full of treasure and fortune's kiss. Far from land the water stretches…" _The voice trailed away, leaving only a ragged and tittering memory of what it was.

The group stuttered to a halt; one by one they turned to look to where the singing rose above the otherwise silent world. The waving curtain eased apart as a rusty old wagon, drawn by a clumping creature with the oddest color fur, rolled forward into view. The creature walked on six legs and a tail, which thumped the ground every time it's others legs had all stepped forward. Its rump lurched its into the air, repeated the process every few steps. Its head was snake like in shape but its eyes were dark and the pupils were small. Strings of light purple fur hung in front of its eyes to prevent the sun's harmful rays from reaching them. The body was slim and muscular, more like a reptilian than a mammal. A long, split tongue hung out of a mouth framed with sharp teeth. It didn't have a nose, just two nostrils in the center of its face.

"What the hell is that thing-Offph!" Riku doubled over as Sora elbowed him.

"You're being rude. Hello there!" Sora shouted, waving frantically as the wagon drew closer.

The driver morphed into a humanoid lump instead of a wavering blob.

"Howdy, strangers," the person called back. The person clicked their tongue and the creature slowed.

The group clustered around the man as he stepped from his ride. He was swathed in faded brown clothes that were tattered and dragged the rough earth. His face was wrapped and hands gloved in black leather. He was incredible skinny, almost inhumanly so.

"What you youngsters doin' in my part of the world?" The man tittered, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"Sight-seeing," Riku supplied.

"Riku-" Kairi reprimand.

The ancient man cut her off, hooting with laughter that was dusty and ear blowing. "Sight-seeing, that's a good one. There ain't much to see though. Well, I reckon I'm not the best judge of that, but I figure it is so."

"Wait, you can't see?" Goofy asked, the only one to catch the meaning.

"Nope," the old man said, reaching to yank away his hood. "Somebody went and stole my eyes."

They reeled back, repulsed by the thought of what they thought hid beneath. They took a second look and realized a startling fact. The man wasn't a man at all but an old robot, who stared at them from empty sockets with wires hanging about. The machine's mouth opened, creaking on un-oiled hinges as it issued another laugh.

"Been waiting three centuries to use that joke," it howled.

"Haha," they laughed, one after the other but all awkwardly.

"We need to get about our business. It was nice to-" Donald started, side stepping to move around the machine. The creature snarled at him, and they all saw him attempt to fly, ending up roosting in Sora's hair for his effort.

"No, no, you must join me for dinner. Night will be here soon and it is a harsh place after the sun has gone. My place isn't far. Come along. Detes," it said, placing a hand against its inorganic chest, "will offer you a place to stay. Just hop in Sind's wagon and we'll be on our way."

Sora smiled. "All right then, let's get going."

Detes clamped his hands, scrambling back into his seat. "Company! Oh, I love company." He said to himself or to his animal.

"Sora, what do you think you're doing?" Riku demanded, grabbing his arm before he could hurry after the strange man.

"Well, I see it as us needing someone to show us around, and him needing someone to talk to. It's our best chance to find any Heartless." Sora counted off thoughtfully.

"Sora's right. Let's go." Kairi said, running to the wagon and climbing aboard.

"Come along now," Detes called.

"I'll get the radar," Roxas muttered after materializing.

The seven people clustered into the old carriage, Naminé having decided to show herself as well.

* * *

"Lamer, you okay?"

The voice came from a distance, distorted. Hayner cracked one eye open, the other sticky and sealed shut by blood. He got a view of hazy red lights and the cracked dome. Dirt was thrown up over it, covering it so that light only peeked through small gaps. A tiny bit of sand trickled through.

He shifted his eyes to see the blond, nose broken for possibly the hundredth time, leaning over him. His hand was on his shoulder, prepared to shake him. Hayner knocked it away, reaching for his belt. He shrugged out of it before standing.

Hayner wobbled, hand going to his head, finding what he expected as well as a mile long list of aches which assaulted him.

"The fuck?" Hayner muttered.

"We hit the ground pretty hard. Probably made you hit yourself like it did me." Seifer started, pulling his shirt up to wipe away the scarlet pouring from his nose. Hayner glanced at his stomach before looking away.

"What about the others?" Hayner asked, drying his hands on his pants.

"Leon is unconscious. I haven't been able to check on the others yet. Help me open the door; the emergency backup power doesn't extent to opening them automatically." Seifer ordered, picking his way across the room.

Hayner looked at Leon, watching his chest rise and fall several times before following Seifer. They reached the door and Hayner took the side opposite of Seifer, pushing on the cold metal while Seifer pulled. The door groaned in melodrama before giving a few inches.

"Let me-Give me a little more-if you let the door shut on me I'll-" Hayner said as he moved between the piece of metal and the wall, pushing one as he said so.

"Hayner, shut up and push," Seifer snapped.

Hayner felt himself stiffen. He paused, glaring at Seifer. Even in the dim glow of the emergency lights, he could see the worry printed all over Seifer's face. Eleven years of beating the shit out of each other had gotten Hayner that far.

"Go fuck yourself," Hayner muttered, wedging his foot against the jam.

The door gave, sliding into the place it belonged. Seifer brushed pass him and the smell of blood wafted over him. Hayner shook himself, stepping into the dark hallway. His palm found the wall; touching it, he shuffled after the older blond.

* * *

It was barely even a spot on the horizon when Naminé noticed the little shack that rose from the rolling sand. The sun was a great fireball, burning away the colors of the mirrored portrait that sprawled before it. The rest of the land was bathed in hues of red and orange.

Naminé glanced at Roxas. The pained expression held a different tale than what his calm façade presented. Naminé looked away, giving him the only privacy that she could.

"Is that your home, Detes?" She asked.

"Yep, all mine. Built it myself out of dry cacti and rocks. It keeps me from overheating and my pipes from freezing, so I'm happy with it." He said, bobbing his head to agree with himself.

"Detes, I have a question. If you're blind, how did you know we were here?" Goofy asked.

"I have awfully good hearin'. Lose a sense, get another upgraded." He chuckled at his own joke.

"Then how do you drive?" Kairi questioned.

"I don't really. Sind knows all the paths we take. We usually travel by where you landed. I just set the speed. "

"Oh," Riku said. "I didn't know that worked with robots," he said referring to the level up joke.

"Robot? Oh, yeah, I forgot. It's been a while since I had company. Once thought I was a jackrabbit," he cackled, his whole body rocking with it.

The crew fell silent, listening to the cranking, wheezing laughter of the robot. The sun hit a point on the horizon where its red arms wrapped around the world. Its angel fine hair, the brightest of colors fell onto them one last time before slipping away, dragged down by the weights tied to the its feet, instead of by the world turning away from the sun's embrace.

"Uh-oh," Detes muttered. He hitched the reins, and Sind lurched forward at a faster pace.

"What's it?" Roxas demanded, clinging to the side of the wagon.

"You'll hear it soon." Detes promised gravely.

The house grew rapidly and within seconds they were beside it. Detes jumped down, hands gliding across the harness and unfastening Sind. Detes hurried toward his house, waving at them to follow. They did so.

Roxas had his leg thrown over the edge and was about to hop down when the sound came. It came softly, and then grew louder, rising higher and higher. It hit a shrill, grating note, then leveled out into a constant ear splitting pitch.

Roxas' blood ran cold and his hair stood on end as another creature took up the tortuous song. None of them hesitated as they ran into Detes' home, slamming and securing the door behind them.

* * *

"Fuu, Rai, Vivi!" Seifer's sharp command for an answer bounded off the walls.

"In the center room," the weak reply drifted back to them.

Seifer sped up, leaving Hayner to find his way by himself. The hallway suddenly dropped away, opening into the round room. Fuu was propped against the wall, blood free falling from her mouth and her shoulder was being held in a way that screamed that it was dislocated. Raijin was crouched beside Vivi, who had been knocked out during the crash. Vivi's leg was obviously broken, and Raijin had his wrist tucked against his chest.

"Help them," Fuu demanded, turning away from them.

Seifer glanced at Hayner, jerking his head to motion for him to help Fuu. Hayner wasn't bastard enough not to. He was, however, enough of one to aid Fuu in putting her arm back in place. She didn't scream when they did it, but she slumped against the wall.

Hayner turned away from her, guilt building in his stomach. It was necessary but that didn't stop it nevertheless.

"Fuu, can you help Raijin carry Vivi? Hayner and I will get the door open and then drag Leon out, if you can." Seifer directed.

She nodded, breathing through her blood stained mouth, which had come from her biting down on her tongue. She went to their side, putting her injured shoulder on the side furthest from Vivi's limp body. Hayner watched as the three of them hefted the smallest of the group to his feet; his eyes fluttering open the tiniest bit. The second his leg touch the floor, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he was gone.

"Lamer-" Seifer started.

"I can handle the damn door." He told him.

Hayner went to the only door that led outside. The panel was a small pressure sensitive device. It was black and lifeless. Hayner was certain, mostly due to some of the rants that Pence had thrown at him, that he could rig the wires underneath in order to open the door.

A few moments and some broken pieces of plastic later, Hayner had his hand sunk down into the wires. His confidence in himself faltered. _Fuck it, _he thought, yanking the cords. He got a tasty shock and the clonk of the lock withdrawing for his efforts.

The only thing that was left was to barrel into the door a few times in order to get it open. When they finally managed to do so, Seifer and Hayner tumbled out of the ship and onto the purple dirt that covered the canyon. They looked up, seeing the pink and orange sky that reminisced of home hanging over their heads, and discovering the jagged rocks that lined everything around them. Their eyes reached the top, catching sight of a single flash of hair before being drawn by the shadows skating across the rock floor.

* * *

"What is that sound?" Naminé demanded, collapsing to her knees in the large hut. Her hands came over her ears, her breath having been stolen by the harsh noise.

Detes turned to her, hollow eyes looking where she should have been. The group didn't pay attention to their surroundings as they listened to the robot in front of them. The sound didn't allow them to.

"Those are what are born from the dark crystals." He said.

"What are the crystals?" Donald asked, eyes wide with greed.

"The incarnation of every memory that ever was." Detes said, head tilted in such a way that suggested they were insane. "They are the last remaining essence of those that have been lost. They exist, even when we no longer do. Evil people are contained in the dark crystals, good in the clear. Sometimes, their essence escapes, and those creatures you hear are born."

"That's why this world set off the alarm!" Sora exclaimed.

"Can the essence be called out of the good ones?" Roxas demanded.

"The stories suggest, but no one has ever done it." Detes shrugged and turned away. "Now enough of that, let's have some dinner!" Detes said cheerfully.

"Sora," Roxas said. "We need to talk later."

Sora nodded, seeing the look in his eyes. "When we get a chance," he promised.

Roxas nodded his thanks, watching as he walked away. His thoughts didn't follow him though. They went out into the dark desert, where monsters howled at the moonless sky. Stars winked back at them, joyful and taunting. They were unreachable and that was why the monsters screamed.


End file.
